4.6 magnitude earthquakes shake the storm-hit Los Angeles area

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.6 on Friday shook the Los Angeles area, which has been hit by a series of winter storms since last week.

The epicenter of the quake was about 7 miles northwest of Malibu, in a mountainous area near the northern coast of Los Angeles County, according to USGS data.

The US Geological Survey said the earthquake occurred at 1:47 p.m. local time.

At least two aftershocks with initial magnitudes of 2.7 and 3.0 were recorded after the 4.6 magnitude quake, according to the US Geological Survey.

Fred Fielding, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, told NBC that an earthquake of this magnitude “would only cause minor damage.”

The Los Angeles Fire Department said on the social media platform X that residents should check on their residences and neighbors.

“After surveying your home for earthquake damage and making sure there are no casualties, please check on your pets and vulnerable neighbors, especially elderly people who live alone,” she said.

LAFD spokesman Eric Scott told NBC Los Angeles that there has been “no significant damage” so far.

The Ventura County Fire Department account said the department was “operating at full capacity and no injuries were reported.”

The US Tsunami Warning System said it was unlikely there was a threat of a wave from the earthquake.

Despite its quiet nature, up to 12 million people likely felt the quake, Allen Hosker, a geophysicist at the California Institute of Technology, citing USGS data, told NBC Los Angeles.

ShakeAlert was sent to the cell phones of MyShake app users and other subscribers to the system operated by the USGS. Alerts warn residents of an earthquake before it reaches many users, giving them some time to take cover. The system is still in the development stage and depends on the addition of seismic measuring devices. It is available to an estimated 50 million residents of California, Oregon and Washington.

The earthquake zone contains several faults, including the Malibu Coast Fault, which runs from near Point Dume eastward toward the city of Santa Monica.

Over time, the quake is likely to be a shock to something larger that is quickly diminishing, said Lucy Jones, a former USGS seismologist who founded the Dr. Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society.

But she told NBC Los Angeles that this is a good time to remind Californians to prepare for a bigger crisis. Its most important recommendations are to have drinking water and potable water on hand, because a major earthquake would likely disrupt the water supply.

“The most important thing you can do is make sure you stock up on water,” she said.

The region has been hit by three storms since last week, bringing historic amounts of rain and flooding to areas from Ventura County to the US-Mexico border.

Friday's quake occurred on a date that marked one of the region's most devastating earthquakes, the 1971 6.6-magnitude Sylmar earthquake, named after the northernmost neighborhood in Los Angeles. The US Geological Survey said the hurricane killed 64 people and caused a loss of more than $500 million.

Dennis Romero

Dennis Romero is a breaking news correspondent for NBC News Digital.

Michelle Acevedo contributed.

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